An extensive archive of LinkedIn account data was found for sale online on April 6, including records of 500 million users, including email addresses, phone numbers, links to other social media profiles, and professional details.
According to a report by CyberNews, 500 million total LinkedIn users’ names, email addresses, phone numbers, workplace information, gender, LinkedIn IDs. And other social media profiles linked data to sold on online hacking forums is placed, a Publications online research based on cybersecurity and technology.
While users on hacker forums can see leaked samples for about $2 forum credit, the hacker appears to be auctioning off databases for at least a four-digit amount, most likely in Bitcoin.
The author of the post requires that the data be taken from LinkedIn. The CyberNews investigation team has confirmed this by looking at the samples provided on the Hackers Forum. However, it is unclear if the LinkedIn profile being sold is the latest.
The investigation team asked LinkedIn if they could confirm that the leak was correct and notified their users and customers but had not yet received a response.
Data from leaked files can use by actors who threaten LinkedIn users in various ways, such as carrying out targeted phishing attacks, sending spam emails and phone numbers, or forcing LinkedIn profile passwords and email addresses.
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Only the LinkedIn profile information appears in the leaked file. Examples of hacker forums do not contain sensitive data such as credit card details or legal documents.
On April 6, a massive Facebook data leak made headlines. Personal information, including phone numbers and the full names of more than 500 million Facebook users, was leaked online by hackers.
Subsequent data leaks prompt people to rethink how secure their data is.